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Help Me Amplify the Voices of Millennials of Color: “The Questions 100” is a multi-media storytelling project featuring 100 millennials of color answering 100 different questions on relationships, life and culture

The Millennial Trains Project (MTP) is an award-winning series of crowdfunded transcontinental train journeys for young innovators to explore America’s new frontiers. This an officially-approved campaign for MTP’s August 2016 journey.

To get on board, applicants must design a project to advance across the communities where the MTP Train stops & then race to be among the first 30 applicants to reach their $5k crowdfunding goal. More details about Natelege Whaley’s project below:

“The Questions 100” is a multi-media storytelling project featuring 100 millennials of color answering 100 different questions on relationships, life and culture. The final product will be a digital photo essay, videos, social media posts. It will be powered by HEARTS CONVERSE.

Joining the MTP Project will allow me to feature the voices of subjects in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Milwaukee and Detroit in August.

View the first three stories below:

W H Y?

Many people of color feel invisible when they look for themselves in the mass media.

“I feel that there are very few characters that reflect me…”

“As an Asian, I am hardly ever even represented in the media. If so, there’s some veneer of otherness painted on me. And as a Muslim, well……. It’s just depressing.”

“There isn’t a single person that I can point to on television or film that I could say reminds me of me.”

These quotes come from a survey I took on media representation from millennials of color. Of the 55 people who responded, 81 percent said they did not feel the media accurately portrayed them.

As a millennial who is African-American and a woman, I see there is a movement to reclaim our narratives that were once limited in scope. As a content producer, I am looking to amplify the voices of those like mine who feel their story isn’t always told with “The Questions 100.”

I M P A C T

This will be a time capsule that future generations can look to for wisdom on their life paths by showcasing the authentic human experiences millennials of color are facing right now. It will also connect individual’s unique stories on relationships, life and culture. Those who feel underrepresented in media can look at “The Questions 100,” feel immediate familiarity and be proud to read and share it.

It’s not acceptable that in 2016, a generation that inspires and supports mass media, should feel invisible. Millennials of color deserve to see more aesthetically beautiful content that represents them. The goal is to feature individuals from all walks of life, regions, religious affiliations, gender, sexual and class identities.

H O W

In each city, I will interview three to four individuals. Some will be scheduled in advance while others will be impromptu interviews with subjects I meet along the way. Additionally, the website for the project has already been created. The Hearts Converse social media pages will also promote the project as well.

A B O U T M E

Natelegé Whaley is a digital storyteller passionate about creating positive spaces for young adults to BE through her multi-media platform brand HeartsConverse.com. Whaley is a journalist who has contributed human interest and music features to on-line media platforms including BET.com, TheBoombox.com, EBONY.com and VIBE.com.

Notice: If my campaign is among the first 30 to reach its $5,000 goal, all funds raised will go to MTP, which is a 501(c)3 organization. As such, they will be tax-deductible. These funds help to underwrite the costs of the journey and its associated programming, transportation, and hospitality costs. If I am not among the first 30 applicants to reach my crowdfunding goal, none of my supporters will be charged.